BOSTON, June 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The numbers are staggering: an estimated 500,000 of today's generation of wounded veterans live with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and as many as 350,000 have traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The need is so great that a tasked federal health system for veterans cannot do it alone. It is why the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) invited Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP), other veterans service organizations, private hospitals, innovators, and health providers to take part in VA Brain Trust 2017.

The two-day event in Boston focused on the challenges of invisible wounds of war, brought ideas to the forefront, and highlighted collaboration between VA and partners.

"Wounded Warrior Project was honored to be invited to take part in VA Brain Trust 2017," said WWP CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington. "We can best help warriors across the country by working together with government, nonprofit, and private sector organizations. Veterans answered the call to serve; now we have to respond to their call for help."

Mike Richardson heads Warrior Care Network®, a partnership between WWP, four top academic medical centers, and VA that provides world-class mental health care for veterans and their families nationwide.

"These facilities continuously share information and lessons learned with each other to improve the mental health care provided to our veterans," said Richardson, WWP vice president of independence services and mental health. "VA, in a sign of true collaboration, has liaisons in each medical center to ensure a smooth transition between VA care and Warrior Care Network."

"VA Brain Trust showed the Department of Veterans Affairs' commitment to working with other organizations to provide the very best care," Linnington said. "Wounded Warrior Project was proud to take part and looks forward to further collaboration to help today's generation of wounded veterans."